Secret Santa
by IIangelofmusicII
Summary: It's Christmas on the Thousand Sunny, and Nami has ordered the crew to partake in one of her favourite traditions. Secret Santa. This will be a X-Mas Muti-Chap fic. Timeline is in the New World, right before Punk Hazard. Rated T for swearing and some hints at mature themes.
1. Slips of Paper Sanji-Usopp

"And so, in the spirit of the season, we will be doing a Secret Santa event." Said Nami, to the crew, who had gathered on the deck of the Sunny for a 'special announcement'. "Brook, your hat please.". "Of course, Nami-San. By any chance, would this favour grant me a peek at your-"

oooooooooo

Brook was face down on the grass, his head covered in large, red bumps. He was hat-less, but curious to see what she would do with his chapeau. "Write your name on these and put it in the hat please" said Nami, as she distributed several slips of paper to her Nakama. "I still don't see why we're going through all this trouble" Zoro grumbled, unhappy at the fact that he would have to purchase a gift in the maze of a mall during the busiest hours of the season. It wasn't his fault that those stupid shops changed locations every 5 minutes! "You scared of department stores, Marimo?" taunted Sanji, knowing full well that his crew mate couldn't find his way through an empty room. "Shut up you stupid Love-Cook!" yelled Zoro and the two proceeded to engage in a duel.

oooooooooo

Sanji and Zoro were sitting with their heads bowed in pain and shame as Nami stood over them with a smoking fist and a terrifying expression. "Now then, let's get on with it, shall we?" She passed around the top hat, and each crew mate took one piece of paper out and examined it before tucking it in their pocket. "Alright then! We'll be heading out to the island tomorrow, so take tonight to think about what you're getting for your Secret Santa!" said the navigator, allowing the crew to disband to mull over their Secret Santas.

oooooooooo

'Of all the people it had to be that stupid Marimo...' thought Sanii, as he absent-mindedly chopped his carrots. With his pinky. While flambéing a stir fry. Using only his thumb and index finger. 'Maybe I should give him a freakin' lump of coal'.  
>The idea was tempting, but Sanji ultimately decided against it, due to the fact that his precious Nami-Swan would kill him if she found out. "Arrgh!" He screamed out in frustration. 'What does that crappy swordsman like anywa...' an idea struck him like a thunderbolt. Of course! Why didn't he think of it before! He snickered to himself as he proceeded to the oven to collect the souflé he had made for the women. This would be a cinch.<p>

oooooooooo

'Of all the people it had to be that idiotic ero-cook...' thought Zoro, as he lifted his dumbbells up once more. With his feet. Upside down. On one hand. 'That swirly-eyebrow freak doesn't even deserve my time!' he mind-screamed, as he switched hands. Maybe he could negotiate with Nami. 'Or maybe not...' he shuddered, remembering her flaming fists of fury that slightly resembled those of Garp. Besides, the cost of a favor from Nami was too high. Plus interest, he might not have enough Beri left to even _buy_ a gift. 'What does that pervy cook like anywa...' and an idea popped into his head. He snickered. Why didn't he think of that before? What he had in mind was expensive, so he went to find Nami to offer to carry her bags for some extra cash. It wasn't like he needed help finding his way through the mall or anything... "Tch" he suddenly snorted. "Perish the thought." he said, to no one in particular.

oooooooooo

Luffy was dying on the inside. Keeping a secret was too hard! He kept his mouth shut for Nami though, who hadn't had a proper Christmas ever since Arlong took over her village. Now then; who was his Secret Santee again? 'Is that what you call the person who gets the gift?' he wondered, his mind getting ever farther from the topic. "Santee? Santoo? Santai? Wait, what was I thinking about? Oh yeah! Usopp's present!" He exclaimed, finally coming round in his train of thought. He lied back down on the Sunny's figurehead, trying to think of something the sniper would like. He made a mental list and then forgot it almost immediately. 'This is too hard!' he complained, as he slid off the figurehead and bounced towards the kitchen. Meat. Yes, that would help him think. "Sanji! Meat!" he yelled, as he burst through the door into the dining room. "Luffy, we're eating in 30 minutes" replied the cook, completely entranced with his work of making sure nothing was wasted. "Heh? But that's too long!" the rubber-boy whined, his face drooping and his eyes widening. "98,89- Wait what?" the cook shuddered to a stop, having messed up his count. "Now look what you made me do! You rubber bastard! Get outta my kitchen!" He screamed, as he drop-kicked his captain out of the kitchen, over the deck, and back onto the figurehead. "Back where I started..." Luffy muttered. 'But that was pretty cool.' He started thinking 'It was like being on Skypeia again; flying through the air...' and he got an idea. How he had gotten an idea from being, literally, kicked out of a kitchen, he had no clue. But he had an idea, and that's what mattered. He trotted down to the docking stations to find Franky.

oooooooooo

Gift-giving was Usopp's thing. He always had a knack for knowing the needs of the crew. Sure they weren't practical needs, like Sanji's cooking or Chopper's medical attention, but they were needs all the same. Such as Nami's Clima-Tact. And Brook's automatic instrument tuning machine (granted, he never used it, always being in favour of the the 'old-fashioned way'). So of course when he found Robin's name on the slip of paper, he knew exactly what to get her. 'A book.' he had thought immediately. But which one? 'Horror?' He asked himself, thinking of the woman's affinity to gore and guts. 'Mystery?' He asked again, considering the devil-child's sharp mind and ability to think of what others hadn't. 'Historical?' He questioned, recalling the archaeologist's greatest passion and life goal. And then he overheard her talking to Nami in the library. "You know navigator-san, occasionally, I find it pleasant to read something outside my usual choice of genre." the intellectual had stated. "Is that so, Robin-San?" The mikan-head had politely replied. "Yes. I find it quite refreshing to explore the many types of literature." Usopp backed away slowly from the door, and ran to his workshop to go over the conversation in his head. He could do 'outside', alright, but what _kind_ of 'different'? He fiddled with his tools for a bit until he gradually developed his idea. "Perfect..." he uttered, as he began his blueprint.


	2. Slips of Paper Robin-Brook

Being the intellectual/spy/archaeologist, Robin already knew what she would get Chopper. Along with some medical books (from her own selfish desire to peruse the town's local bookstore), she knew he would love her gift. The only question was, where would she get them on the island they were headed to? They couldn't be bought at a store. She would have to find them herself. 'I should really look this up' she thought, as she made her way to the library.

oooooooooo

Chopper was truly happy with his slip of paper. Nami was especially easy to shop for. When the name 'Nami' came up, some select things came to mind. For example, Jewels, Beri, Clothes, Beri, Mikans, and Beri. But then he overheard her talking to Robin in the library.  
>"What would you like for Christmas, navigator-san?"<br>"Robin! You aren't my Secret Santa are you? If I tell you, it'll ruin the whole point!"  
>"I'm not, I promise. Just... Humor me." Robin said, as her eye on the door of the library winked at Chopper and vanished in a burst of flower petals.<br>"Ok, ok." Nami said, sounding reluctant, but eager to get this of her mind. "Well recently, I've run out of this stuff I use..."

OOOOOOO

Chopper heard the women walking towards the door and scampered off. "So that's what she wants!" Chopper exclaimed, safely in his office. 'She's not as materialistic as everyone thinks she is, is she...' He thought, as he started to look up the store he had in mind.

oooooooooo

Nami was definitely satisfied with her selection. 'Franky, huh?'. She thought of the weirdo's endearing habits. He was like the flamboyant father she never had. His SUPER clothes were just the start of it. He did so much for the crew, maintaining the Sunny and all, he literally kept them afloat. She also owed him for improving her Waver. She wouldn't admit it, but the spin he put on the original design of the vehicle had made it exceptionally smooth on water and much quicker as well. But just what to get him? Surely such a flamboyant and 'SUPER' guy would want something equally as flamboyant and 'SUPER'? She thought about it for a while and finally decided on the perfect gift. 'Wait till he sees what I got for him!' She thought, as she started dividing the crew's allowance.

oooooooooo

Franky felt a kinsman ship with the skeleton. After all, they were both the newest members of the crew, they both played guitar (Of course, Brook could play any instrument, but still), and they were both weird. Not in bad way, just in a way that made people look again twice. And in Brook's case, swing at the air above him to find any hidden marionette strings. So when he pulled out Brook's name from that top hat, he already knew what to get him. He chuckled to himself as he began to heat the iron in the forge of his workshop.

oooooooooo

Brook was both delighted and surprised when he got his captain's name. Not having known Luffy for that long, Brook wanted to give him something meaningful, to show him how much he cares for his rubber friend. An easy gift would be meat. The musician chuckled as he thought of poor Sanji and his ever burning stove-top. But he wanted it to mean more. Something that would last much longer. He pondered this for some time. As he couldn't think of anything, he walked onto the deck. In one hand, his violin in the other, his bow. He nestled the instrument in the crook of his neck, and raised the bow just above the smooth wooden surface. He brought the bow to meet the strings and he played. The song had been swelling up inside him, itching to come out. And oh did it ever. He felt wrapped in it's warmth. And from it burst inspiration. His excitement was so great, he felt the need to write it down immediately, should he forget his idea. But as every performer knows, the show must go on. He brought the piece to a sweet stop, and immediately returned to his living quarters.


	3. Shopping (And Other Things) Nami-Chopper

Nami could just barely contain her excitement. They were finally here! Cadeau Island! They had gotten the news from Zoro (who was up in the crow's nest) about an hour ago, and Usopp had confirmed it. So they had gathered in the aquarium room to get their allowances. "Alright everyone! Sit in a circle please!" Nami exclaimed, clapping her hands together to prevent her from getting too giddy. "What are we? Children?" Zoro had muttered, but Nami was in too good of a mood to let it bother her. "Now then, we'll each have a starting point of about 15,000 Beri*. If anyone needs a raise, just ask, and I'll do my best to make it fit the budget". The crew stared at her, stunned. 15,000 Beri was extremely generous, especially for Nami. "Remember though," she started once more "All change goes straight back to me once you're finished shopping. Other than that, we should be good! Zoro, you're still coming with me right?" "Yeah..." Zoro groaned, thinking of his day ahead as Nami's personal pack mule. "Hold on!" yelled the cook. "Why does the Marimo get to-"  
>"I'm sorry cook-San, I was under the impression that you were accompanying me to the forest on the outskirts of the town" said Robin, having caught Nami's imploring look.<br>"But of course Robin-Chwan! It would be my honour!" The cook exclaimed, delighted by the thought of spending the whole day with the archaeologist. "Me and Chopper are going together" said Usopp. "We're heading to the west side of the town. Anyone else need to come?"  
>"Well me and Luffy-bro are going to the east side of town." replied Franky "Brook? Where are you headed?"<br>"I'll be staying on the ship." said Brook. "But I'll call you one group at a time to assist me with something, so don't go too far out." The crew members nodded their heads. Nami handed each group a baby Den-Den Mushi, and the groups set off.

oooooooooo

The Mikan and the Marimo were quite a sight to see. Zoro had 3 wooden sticks in place of his usual swords. On each stick hung 15 bags. Nami, on the other hand, had nothing but a small, blue clutch. As she strolled, he shuffled along, humiliated. Though he almost no longer used it, his bandanna was tied around his forehead to avoid being recognized. His pride was wounded, and what for? To see the cook's expression when he opened up his gift. It was the only thing that kept him going. 'Think of it as training. Really stupid, really boring training.'. He couldn't even talk. The stick was much wider than his swords, and speech was impossible. However, the navigator didn't seem to notice. And if she did, she didn't care. Any silence that wasn't her own was golden. An occasional grunt from Zoro was all she needed to make sure he was there. Other than that, it was somewhat of a relief for her to have some time away from the noisy ship. They were walking around the clothing district. Manikins littered the sidewalks, each boasting it's own crazy creation. The designers stood proudly at their booths, beckoning over anyone who so much as glanced at the 'haute couture'. Though they had been wandering for nearly an hour, they both still hadn't found what they were looking for. Until Zoro skidded to a halt in front of a brightly-lit fluorescent pink building that mirrored the blue one beside it. "Here?!" Exclaimed Nami, who could only wonder whose name the swordsman had gotten. She was even more shocked that he had found the exact building she had planned to go to as well. Zoro nodded, almost imperceptibly, and strolled in the front doors. Nami gave an awkward little yelp and scampered after him.

oooooooooo

Sanji was in heaven. The archaeologist was walking behind him, as he cleared the path like any respectful gentleman would. They were headed towards a small lake in the middle of the island. Robin walked in silence, save for when she politely declined the cook's offers to carry her. Nevertheless, both were content and neither could say they didn't enjoy the other's company. When they finally reached the lake, Sanji's first thought was 'Damn.'. The lake differed immensely from the foamy, blue ocean he was used to. The water was bottle green, and smooth as glass. It shimmered every so often as a fish darted between the seaweed. Lily pads drifted on the surface of the water, attached to the bottom of the lake by slender stems. It was breath-taking. "Shall we separate and meet back here in an hour?" Robin inquired, flippantly, as no matter the cook's answer, she would go off on her own anyways. "But Robin-Chwan-"  
>"Perfect." Robin said, cutting him off. "I'll see you soon" she said, as she disappeared into the wilderness as if by magic. Sanji stared at the lake, regretting the decision he was about to make. But it would be worth it, to see the swordsman's expression when he opened up his gift. He held the mental picture in his brain as he stripped to his pants and dove in.<p>

oooooooooo

Chopper was happily munching on the cotton candy Usopp had bought him on a whim. "Thank You!" Chopper cried, as he trotted along beside the sniper. They were in the Literature district and had passed by the Carnival district before getting there. At seeing Chopper's longing expression, Usopp felt as though the doctor deserved a little treat. Besides, the reindeer did so much for the crew every day, and this felt like a way to repay him. "No problem!" Usopp had said, completely caught up in the moment. Chopper had finished his treat and was licking his hooves contentedly. "Hey," he began "Isn't Nami going to kill you when we get back for spending extra?". Usopp paled considerably about 3 seconds before freaking out.

OOOOO

Chopper had finally gotten the sniper to calm down, but he still heard the occasional sniffle. They walked along for a bit before stopping at a grand-looking tree. The trunk had been hollowed out, and tall glass windows were placed on either side of an equally as grand birch wood door. "Um.. I think we're here." He whispered, nudging his long-nosed friend. Having decided this was no way for a brave warrior of the sea to act, Usopp straightened his back and proceed to push the door. When he did not succeed in opening it, he attempted several more times before sliding to a sitting position in defeat. Chopper helped the sniper up before pulling the door open, and gesturing for Usopp to enter. The sniper balked at first, attempting to retain his dignity, but ended up strolling through the doorway as though it had been his plan all along.

*Equivalent to $150 US


	4. Shopping (And Other Things) Franky-Brook

Luffy was starting to get on Franky's nerves. Ok, not starting. At this point, he was practically at the finishing point. You'd think that the cyborg would have a higher tolerance for the childish captain, seeing as Franky was more or less childish himself, but when you've been kicked out of 30 shops in a row, you start to reach the end of your line. 'I mean, yeah, rockets are fun, but did he really have to set off every single one in the shop?' Franky thought, as his captain trotted along side him, craning his rubber neck to take in every single sight and sound. In doing this, he was continuously bumping into someone or tripping into something. 'Is that where that expression came from...?'* pondered Franky, eager to get his mind off the fact that nearly all his money had been spent paying shop owners back for Luffy's nearly insatiable curiosity. He groaned as they reached the final store in the row. The building was large and composed of mostly metal. Imagine an upside down flower pot. Now imagine it in iron, and that was basically the store's appearance. Franky had made some sketches for Luffy, and had a pretty good idea of what the captain had in mind. Of course he already had full-scale blueprints for Brook's present, and he knew exactly what he needed to get, right down to amount of screws. They walked in the shop and were immediately greeted by a small, elderly man. "Hello!" the man greeted them. "Might I do anything today for you lads?" He inquired, looking up at Franky. Franky stared at the visage below him before promptly fainting into Luffy's arms.

oooooooooo

Brook had everything set up. His wooden table was filled with tone dials, and he was poised at his piano, ready to play. He picked up the automatic tuning thingamajig Ussop was always bugging him to use. Sure using the tuner would save the crew from hours on end of seemingly random notes and screeches, and sure he could probably do it in less than 5 minutes with the auto tuner, but usually, he was in favour of the old-fashioned way. Today however, he didn't have much time. The crew was coming back in 6 hours, maybe 8 at the most, and he had to hurry up. So he attached the boxy device to the piano, attached his violin on the other joint, and let it do it's thing. It was quite unsettling to be honest. Hearing the gears whir, and the buttons beeping. Machinery was so... Robotic and... Dead almost. It had no soul. For something with no soul to be handling something that was bursting with it just seemed wrong. To Brook anyways. He sighed and waited for the device to stop beeping and booping. When the light finally turned green, he quickly unattached the machine from the piano and placed it on a table. He sat down at the piano and began to play. He would give the machine some credit. The sound that flowed out of the instrument was perfect. He stopped playing and held out his violin. He slowly pulled the bow back and forth over the strings, testing for any imperfections. He found none. But it lacked something. Technically, the sound was pure, and untarnished. But the instruments lacked soul. 'To hell with this infernal device.' Brook thought, as he started to mess with the tuning knobs on his violin.

oooooooooo

A.N: My sincerest apologies if you were led on to believe that this chapter would be much lengthier. I wished to complete the 'Shopping' process, and was unaware that I would only have 2 segments for this chapter. As such, Brook's segment is simply filled with musical prose and musings. The next chapter, however, will include all the groups. So forgive me, please, for going on a descriptive tangent. I will not make this mistake again.

*Rubber necking is a term used when car accidents occur, and people in cars stop to look at these accidents causing even more accidents by stopping.


	5. AN1

I hate to disappoint twice in a row, but this week, while I was working on the newest chapter, the file got deleted in a mishap, and I have not been able to recover it. My sincerest apologies, again, and I will have the chapter updated by this time next week.


	6. The 9 Days of Fanfic

Nami was bright red. Zoro was inspecting... That. She blushed furiously as he fumbled with the cloth, now ridiculously curious as to who he had gotten on his paper. 'Robin?' She wondered. Never. The swordsman knew the archaeologist too well. He would never get her something this... Inappropriate. Herself? Probably not that either. He wouldn't have gone shopping with her otherwise. Brook? It was a possibility, but is was very unlikely. It would be bizarre. Even for a talking, singing, and walking skeleton. "Nami," she heard him say. She turned to see him, and her jaw promptly dropped. He was tangled up in the fabric, and his head was somewhere she preferred not to discuss. "Help." he said, looking rather innocently naughty, which was an odd oxymoron, but to put in context, like a little boy who had found his mother's...ahem...special drawer. She was now steaming from the ears, and couldn't even look at the swordsman. "How did this happen?" she asked him through gritted teeth. He shrugged, which looked rather psychedelic, what with his arms being in places... They shouldn't be, to put it simply. She sighed and shut her eyes before feeling out for his face. "Oi! What the hell do you think you're doing?" the swordsman yelped as she poked his bad eye with a long, orange fingernail. "Shut up..." she muttered "It's too embarrassing... I can't look.."  
>"Wimp." He said, crossing his arms best he could.<br>"Alright then." Nami said, crossing her arms right back at him, her eyes still tightly shut.  
>"Do it yourself." She said, turning around and sashaying towards the hole in the wall that connected the blue and pink buildings, identifying them as 2 stores under 1 brand.<br>"Ugh. I wish I had my swords." Zoro muttered, thinking of his beloved Wado Ichimonji. He had left his treasures with Brook for the day, knowing that they would probably get in the way, and they would be safe in the hands of a fellow swordsman. He hopped around for a while, ignoring the stares of the young to middle aged women. He then decided that he could waste a little money, and promptly ripped the thing in two. The two pieces fluttered to the ground as he grinned and stretched out his arms. He then looked around for Nami, and saw her on the other side of the building. He walked up to her and fainted at the sight of what she was holding.

OOOOO

"Zoro? Zoro!" Nami yelled. What had she done to deserve this? This entire situation was just too embarrassing. While he was knocked out, she had gotten his stuff for him, having guessed who he'd gotten based on his love of torturing a certain blonde. The two bags were on her right arm, and she was using her left to shake Zoro. When he didn't wake up after a bucket of water and the waving of a bottle of sake under his nose, she knew something was wrong. She resorted to her last line of attack. She started huffing quickly in and out through her nose, which was an odd sight to see, but slowly, tears formed in her eyes, and began to trickle out. With the air of a diva, she cried out with all her heart "LUFFY! NOOO!". Zoro's eye burst open, and he sprang to his feet, searching for his captain. "Luffy?!" He screamed, desperately scanning his surroundings. He saw Nami on his right pulling out a handkerchief and dabbing away the false tears that had fallen from her eyes mere seconds ago. "Finally!" She groaned. "You were taking way too long!" Zoro whipped his head back and forth, still confused. "Where's Luffy?!" He shouted, now panicking. Nami sighed and just yanked him by his ear to the doors of the shop. "Luffy's fine, you idiot Marimo. Brook just called us. We need to go back to the ship for something.". She stuffed the sticks back in Zoro's mouth and hands, and proceeded to hang up all of the bags, alongs with the two newest additions. Zoro protested indignantly, but the sticks had added a large muffle on his speech. He eventually gave up and trotted after the Mikan head.

oooooooooo

Sanji had just found exactly what he needed when he sensed Robin's aura hovering above him on the surface of the lake. Not wanting to waste his time or breath, he deposited the object in a small brown sack and Sky (Water?) Walked up to the top. He saw Robin's head perched on a lily pad, and made his way towards it. "Hello my sweet Robin-Chwan! Have you obtained what you required?". Robin's head smiled and replied "I believe I have. And you, cook-San?" Sanji beamed at having been acknowledged, and nodded his head enthusiastically. He quickly regained his 'reserve' and said "I am hoping that after such a long afternoon of being out in the wilderness, perhaps my dearest Robin-Chwan would like to engage in a small picnic by the lakeside?" Robin grinned and replied, "Oh I don't think that will be necessary, cook-San. You see, Brook has just called for us to return to the ship for a project of some kind." Sanji sulked a bit, but being the gentleman he was, he readily nodded and informed Robin's head that he would meet the rest of her at shore. The head vanished in a burst of flower petals, and he waded his way to the edge of the lake where he had put his coat, shoes, and dress shirt. He finally arrived, and stepped onto the sand with a bit of difficulty, considering he had just spent hours in the water. But it was worth it. He cackled to himself as he pulled on his coat, and lit a cigarette. Shortly after, Robin emerged from the woods, carrying with her an almost identical sack to Sanji's, the only difference being the larger size. He offered her his hand, which she politely declined, and they set off back through the trail Sanji had cleared earlier.

ooooooooo

Chopper was trotting along beside Usopp, humming 'Bink's Sake'. He held the conservative black bag in one hand, and in the other, a complimentary bookmark from the store. He was in such a great mood, that Usopp had to stop him from swinging the bag back and forth out of joy, for fear that something might slip out, forcing them to ignore Brook's summons in favor of going back to the store to repurchase their items. The glass jars in the bag clinked and chimed, and every time they did, Usopp panicked. Finally, he could take no more stress and snatched the bag from the reindeer's hooves, ignoring his startled yelp. "What was that for, bastard?!" Chopper whimpered. "You're going to drive me nuts!" Usopp replied, not feeling the least bit sorry. Chopper began to sniffle. Then his eyes started to water. And then he was crying. "So *wheeze* you don't *sniff* trust meeee?!" He cried, looking a wreck. "No!" Usopp replied. "I mean yes! I mean-aargh!" He screamed in frustration, having no patience for one of the reindeer's little bouts.

OOOOO

Chopper had reclaimed the bag and was now once again walking beside Usopp, who was crying at the sight of his empty wallet. He had had to buy Chopper yet _another_ cotton candy to get him to calm down. Really, the doctor could be so childish sometimes. But he knew it was worth it; seeing the wide grin on Chopper's little face.

oooooooooo

"I still can't believe that Tom-san's brother would live on Cadeau Island!" Franky exclaimed, walking down the street. "Isn't that just SUPER!?" "Eh?" Luffy asked, tilting his head. "That old guy is related to Tom? But he's so little!" Franky smiled, remembering Tom pointing out his family in a particular photo.

OOOOO

"And this is Joey." Tom said, pointing at a small, rainbow tetra fishkid. "Ain't he cute? He was still that size when he set off on his own. Said he wanted to be an engineer. Or somethin' like that."

OOOOO

At the time, Franky hadn't really cared much, but now it seemed so special. So important. He was a manly man, of that there was no doubt. But at times like these, he couldn't help but cry. And cry. And cry. Until he heard Luffy say "So... We going back to the ship or what?" Franky panicked, and started thinking of his promise to Brook that he would distract Luffy, no matter what the cost. "Umm..." He said, desperately scanning the busy intersection they were on. "How abouuuut... The Carnival District?" He said, pointing to a clown holding a paper sign. "Oooh!" Said Luffy. "That sounds interesting! Sure!" So they set off in the opposite direction of the Sunny, as Franky wiped some sweat off his brow.

oooooooooo

"Yohohoho..." Nami finished, holding her breath until Brook gave her a signal. Brook looked at her through the glass, and put his thumb and finger together in an 'OK' sign, informing her she was good, Nami smiled, and bounded out of the makeshift room. Everyone was on the Sunny now, and everyone had their gifts ready. Now, all that was left was to gift them.

oooooooooo

Release Dates:

Brook- Dec. 16  
>Franky- Dec. 17<br>Robin- Dec. 18  
>Chopper- Dec. 19<br>Sanji- Dec. 20  
>Zoro- Dec. 21<br>Usopp- Dec. 22  
>Luffy- Dec. 23<br>Nami- Dec. 24


	7. Brook

We were sat around the tree, and by now my legs were long past aching. I'm sure Nami-san had all the best intentions, but 30 min. was too long of a warning. No revealing Secret Santas, we know. No opening gifts until you were alone, we know. I was losing my patience, and was very much considering snatching my gift and dashing back to my room.

"And finally, Nami said, "absolutely no complaining! Got it?"

"Yes!" everyone chorused, voicing all their curiosity in one unified call. Hmm… That gives me an idea… Maybe—

"Great!" said the navigator, interrupting my thoughts, "First up, we have Brook." I inwardly cheered as I uncrossed my legs and rose to my full height. She reached under the swing and pulled out a large, oval package. It had been wrapped in black paper, and had a white musk note motif. To be honest, most of them were like that. Nami had wrapped them herself, and had taken each of her Nakama's interests into consideration. She was really taking this seriously, and no one wanted to upset all her planning.

She grinned up at me cheekily, and patted my forearm. She was playing Santa's elf in a small red skirt and white blouse, topped with a jaunty red felt hat.

"You can go ahead to your room if you want," she said.

"Thank you most kindly, Nami-san," I said, bowing courteously, dipping my head to her stomach. Waist. Thighs. *SMACK* and whipping back up.

"What do you think you're doing, you perv…" she said, her eyes blazing.

"Yohohoho!" I laughed nervously, "I'll be going then…" I muttered, having lost my chance and retreating to my room in long strides.

OOOOO

The room designated for my use was the aquarium café. I descended into the glass dome, smiling at the little touches of holiday spirit Nami had obviously coerced Sanji to add. The little seaweed wreaths and coral bells were rather charming. I took a seat on the bench, and slowly began to take apart the tape, a strip at a time. I unravelled the paper, and finally held in my hands a beautiful… guitar? It seemed like a guitar, but it was hard to tell for sure. It was a metal outline of an oval, with nothing but 5 strings in the middle connecting from the base of the oval to the end of a long branch of steel stemming form the other end of the oval. It was smooth to the touch, and curved to perfection. I tested it's weight in my hands. It was light, due to it being nothing but a functioning skeleton of an instrument. Skeleton? Of course! It was built as minimally as possible, reflecting my own person.

It was very clear who had made this. After all, there was no craftsman akin to Shipwright-san on our ship. The thought that had been put into this brought tears to my eyes. Though, I have no eyes!

"Yohohoho…" I chuckled, my eye sockets brimming with water. I decided to test it out, but upon strumming the cords, I found that no sound came out. I was puzzled, and examined the body of the instrument. Finally, I found a small opening in the side of the oval, and proceeded to the retrieve my amplifier from the upper decks.

OOOOO

Finally, I plugged in my instrument, and strummed my scale. The sound that came from the amplifier was not robotic, as I had expected, but a smooth blend of acoustic and electric. I found that the faster I strummed, the more power I put in, the more electric it sounded, and the more docile I was, the less effort I used, the more acoustic the sound. It was mesmerizing, and I couldn't get over it.

The body itself of the guitar was astounding. It was light, but had just enough weight for it to feel comfortable and solid. Upon more digging in the paper, I found four magnets that corresponded with the four most even points of the body. I attached the magnets under my coat, and slung the guitar on my back. It stuck instantly, and as soon as I removed it to play, the magnets unattached themselves from the fabric, and flew towards a crevice in the body of the oval. It was truly and amazing instrument, and I felt honoured to be using it.

I was looking all around the guitar for more hidden tricks when I found a small button on the base of the oval. I tried to press it, but it wouldn't budge. After trying to unsuccessfully to unstick it, I set it upright, the button touching the ground.

"Orchestra Mode: Activated" it chimed, startling me. The 'button' elongated into a stand, and a bow popped out of the body and tumbled to the ground. I held the now cello by it's neck, shocked. I slowly bent down to pick up the bow. It was made of the same material as the instruments, but instead of wood and horse hair, the bow was a solid bar of metal. I tested the bow on the cello, and out of the amplifier came a melodic sigh. As I pulled the bow back and forth, a melody began to float around the room as I started to compose.

When I finished, I tried to turn it back into a guitar by pushing in the button-turned-stand. It began to decompress until it became a violin, and I laughed, thinking of how spectacular it all was. Finally, I turned it back into a guitar by inserting the bow back into the slot of the cello form of the instrument.

I sat on the bench, the guitar laid across my lap as I thought of how my life had changed since I met Luffy. I was so grateful for everything he had given me. Nakama. Companionship. A chance to see Laboon once more. Though the guitar was truly wonderful, it represented more than just music. It represented the love and the bond between the crew; the lengths which we would go for one another. And that gift was truly priceless to me.


	8. Franky

Nami was still steaming as Skeleton-Bro rushed to the Café. It was kinda scary to watch, but man did I ever admire the guy! That took some real guts!

She grit her teeth, straightened her shirt, and pulled down her skirt before moving on.

"Franky?" she called, "You can come on up."

I bounded towards her, as she picked out a small box with metallic grey wrapping paper. I grinned as she handed it to me.

"Thanks for the SUPER wrapping paper, Nami-sis!" I exclaimed, cupping the tiny parcel in my giant hands.

"No problem!" she responded, smiling.

I took my parcel and took three large steps to my designated room.

OOOOO

I sat on the edge of the tub, wondering why I had been sent to the bathroom. I quickly tore open the wrapping paper, using my detailing hands, and saw a sleek balk box underneath. On it was a small note that smelled faintly of mikans. 'Nami' I thought, remembering her particular habit of spritzing perfume on everything. Wary that I might not understand the gift without the note, I read the note first.

oooooooooo

Dear Franky,

Let me start from the beginning. You have never held your life story secret from us, and from that it is already easier to understand you. Being born a pirate, you were already cast into a life of hardship, yet you struggled through and managed to gain a family, only to have it lost again. You went through so much to gain companionship, and when you finally established the Franky Family, you left once more to aid us on our journey. I cannot express how thankful we are for that.

You've aided our crew in so many subtle ways, bringing out the joy in them with your antics. We might've never seen Robin smile nor survive had you not been there with her on the train to Enies Lobby. You have been our rock, our anchor, the one we turn to in times of need. You quite literally keep us all afloat with your extensive knowledge on shipbuilding. You helped us cope with our loss, and placed your faith in the fact that Merry's Klabautermann was always watching us.

It is not a simple thing to say, but you have been a father figure to us all, especially Chopper and Usopp who needed one most. Your silliness and tenacity made you a role model in their eyes, and they look up to you in more ways than you can imagine.

Though you are one of the most recent members, we feel a strong connection with you, and are glad to have you on our team. Nami especially! She loves the new sails, and the fluid movements of the Sunny are simply fantastic! You've made her job much easier, and have aided her in her everlasting toil to keep our crew safe.

You may be just as manly as Sanji and Zoro, but we all know you're a softie at heart. Your big wrists can't disguise all the crying you do, but your heart is never in the wrong place. One of the best things about you is your sense of empathy. The ability to bear the emotions of others and to understand their positions is enormous, and is often the reason we go on so many adventures. You can't turn away from a cry of help, and we love that about you. You may be cyborg, but one thing is for sure. You're heart beats to the rhythms of those around you, and it is a quality rare and precious.

To finish this off, I really just wanted to say thank you for everything, and I hope these fit.

Your Secret Santa

oooooooooo

I pulled the lid off to reveal a pair of soft, blue, stretchy underwear with a big red star right in the middle. I couldn't help it. I started bawling. Tears formed rivers off my face, and would have flooded the room had there not been drains in the bathroom. Oh. So that's why she put me in here.

I cried and started putting on the underwear. It was soft, supple, yet manly and masculine. It fit perfectly.

"I feel SUUUUUUPEEEEEEER!" I screamed, dashing out of the washroom towards the main deck.


	9. Robin

Nami was about to call the next name when Franky came down from the bathroom crying rivers. He was spluttering, and gasping, and he reached the main deck before jumping down the ladder to his workshop screaming 'I'm not sad you idiots!' The hatch closed behind him, but we could all hear him wailing and tinkering away at something or another. It was several moments before we turned back to Nami, a weirdly happy expression on her face.

"Well then…" she began, "Shall we go on?" The crew nodded, and she looked at her list.

"Robin?" she called me, "You're next!" Having sat on the outer rings of our little circle, I made my way to the front where Nami presented me with a medium-sized box wrapped with kitten-themed paper. I blushed hard. The kittens were just…. So cute… Nami grinned at me knowingly, and I took my present from her, covering my face with my hand. I stepped away from the tree and took small quick steps to the library.

OOOOO

I took a seat on my bed, and swung my legs up to lounge. I propped up my pillow, and shifted a few times to get comfortable. I then took the present in my lap, and realized I didn't have scissors. I noticed some on Nami's desk, so I just grew them a foot, and it hopped over to me. I picked up the scissors, and the foot vanished in a burst of petals. I then tore the corner of the paper, and began trimming around the kittens, not wanting to desecrate their adorable visages. It took a while, but I finally finished, and I sent the scissors back where I found them. I looked at the wooden box that lay underneath the paper. It was oak, and had a gold hinge and lock. I opened the lock, and saw a velvet cushion, which held both a dark comedy book and a small, golden dial. I tried to open the book, but it was coated in some sort of jello substance, which although mallable, was somewhat sticky and tough to pry apart, so I turned to the dial. I picked it up, and turned it over. A small note was stuck to the bottom. I pulled it off, and opened it to reveal slanted writing on blue stationary.

oooooooooo

Dear Robin,

This note is to tell you how to use your new, amazing, spectacular Book-Compacterator! Basially, I've coated this comedy book in a special kind of jelly. The jelly is basically concentrated mangrove sap, and it makes the books turn into an absorbable substance. The dial will absorb the substance, and the book with it. Just place the dial on the cover of the book and press down on its tip for 3 seconds. When you feel like reading, just press the tip of the dial once, and the book will pop out sans jelly! When you need to put it back, place the dial on the cover of the book and press the tip of the dial twice. It will dispense the jelly, and coat the book before absorbing it. The amazing thing about this is that you can store up to 5 books! Happy Reading!

oooooooooo

I smiled and placed the dial on the book. It was obviously Usopp. He was always one to make practical gadgets for the rest of the crew. I held the tip of the dial and sure enough, it slurped up the book. I picked up the dial again. It was no heavier than before. Absolutely amazing. I pressed the dial once, and out came the comedy book. I picked it up and found that the pages had been completely dry under the sap, and the book was completely intact. I cracked open the brand new cover, revelling in the sweet smell of the fresh ink. I pored over the book, knowing exactly where I'd stay for the rest of the evening.


	10. AN2

Sorry if you thought I would be posting 2 chapters at a time...Although that actually may happen. I might not be able to post tomorrow due to me going out of town. As such, I will post tomorrow's chapter either late today, early tomorrow (1amish) or late tomorrow (11pmish). Thanks for being understanding! Thank you for glancing, reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! Till I post again!


	11. Chopper

Franky was still whacking away at his iron plates when it was my turn. Boy was he ever noisy! While I held my ears in pain, the rest of the crew seemed unaffected. Oh yeah! I had sensitive hearing. I giggled at myself for being so silly. Nami called my name, so I stepped up to the tree.

"Here you go, Chopper!" she said, as she handed me a large, red bag, tied at the top with a brown string. I toppled over from the weight, and was immediately crushed. My vision was a little blurry, but I morphed into Strong Point, and yanked the bag up with me. I thanked Nami and quickly hurried to my office.

OOOOO

I squished the bag and I heard something crackling. It was so scary! I thought I broke something, so I quickly untied the bag and pulled the opening wide enough for me to see in. And there I saw it. The best. Gift. Ever!

Caocut leaves! I knew they had some on this island! I was too busy with Nami's gift, otherwise I would've looked for them. They're really rare though. Only 1 tree grows on each island. Plus, they leaves are only in a preservable form for one week during winter. Because we're at sea, we can't have them any other way. The leaves were identifiable by their 'X' shaped cut right in the middle of crease. Otherwise, they looked like regular old maple leaves. Because of the cut however, they're exposed to the winter air, and chilled from the inside. The chill helps to make the leaves preservable, which is why they're only harvestable in winter. However, the cut also helped to expose the leaves to the sap-infused air from the trees around it. From that, depending on the trees surrounding the Caocut tree, it can possess up to 100 healing properties!

I took one of the leaves from the bag and trotted over to my microscope. I set the leaf under the slide, and adjusted it on the platform so that the 'X' fell directly under the lens. Then, I peeked through my microscope to see how the air had affected the cells surrounding the 'X'. I noted at least 20 different specialized cells, which was what I expected, considering the diversity of Cadeaux Island's forest. I carefully adjusted the slide to each cell and noted the healing qualities of each.

The strongest quality was the ability to increase the rate of mitosis, therefore increasing the rate of repairing damaged skin. That would be really useful for Luffy, who uses his own body when attacking, and damages his skin easily from cuts and scrapes. I started thinking of the different ways to apply the leaf. A tea would work, but a paste would be better. I could use the paste on his knuckles, which got damaged the most during his fights. I giggled happily and wrote that down.

The next strongest quality was to relieve general aches. That would be super useful for Zoro, since he trains so much and often holds a certain stress position for a long time. It really isn't good for him. We all know he's strong, but one day, he's gonna strain himself, and who knows what will happen then? In any case, the best way to apply this would be in a powder. I jotted that down, and moved to the next area of cells.

The last strongest quality was a general pain reliever, which would be great for those of us who can't tolerate great deals of pain. Me, Nami, and Usopp for instance are pretty vulnerable. I could put this into a pill, and give each of us a package. This stuff was pretty strong, though. It would probably work on Luffy too if he used Gear Second too much. This would help to prevent a repeat of the Enies Lobby incident. I shuddered to think of what might've happened had Robin not… Anyways, today was a happy day! I shouldn't be so sad about a few little things!

I jot down a few more notes, and wrote down the other minor uses of the leaf. Then, I turned off my microscope and stored it. I looked for my special salts, and gasped when I couldn't find them, only to remember that Sanji had borrowed some and put it back in the wrong cupboard. I found the salts, and started laying out half of the leaves on a large brown sheet. I put the other half of the leaves in large, glass jars filled with water. The healing properties would diffuse into the water using the 'X' cut, and I could use the water for other medicines. I turned back to my brown sheet and began sprinkling salt over them.

As I worked on the leaves, I started speculating who had gotten me this amazing gift. Though I wasn't sure, I suspected Robin. After all, she was the only other intellectual on the ship, other than maybe Nami. She was the only one with resources (her Devil Fruit) to find the sole tree. And finally, she was the only one who I had told about the Caocut leaves, and how fascinating they were. She was reading a book while I was explaining it to her, but she must have been more attentive than I thought. I giggled to myself, and thanked her in my head.

OOOOO

A.N: I know. I said in the last post I would update Chopper's chapter late Thursday or early Friday. Unfortunately, I've had a lot of trouble with Wi-Fi, as I am abroad. I've decided to move all the chapters a day up. So, Sanji's chapter will be tomorrow, Zoro's chapter on Monday, Usopp's chapter on Tuesday, etc., leading up to Christmas Day on which I will post Nami's chapter. Thank you again for being so patient and understanding with me. It's been a weird past few days, but I'm glad to be back on track once again.


	12. Sanji

I could hear Chopper's excited cries as he jumped up and down in his medical room. I smiled a bit. He seemed really happy. He hadn't lost that childish part of himself yet, thank goodness.  
>"Sanji?" Nami called, "You're next!"<br>I bounded towards her, and she handed me a pink bag. Pink? What was that supposed to mean?  
>"Thank you Nami-Swan!" I exclaimed, a little doubtingly, but a true gentleman must always put on a facade of joy.<p>

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Marimo snickering. I decided to ignore him for now, just because it was Christmas and I felt generous. I lifted my chin and took meaningful steps towards the men's quarters.

OOOOO

Once in the men's quarters, I sat on my bed and took out the tissue paper that was lain over the top of the present. Under all the tissue paper was a box. The box was relatively small, and was black and pink striped. It had a little pink bow on the top. The bow was attached to a plastic imprint of a woman's lips.

Obviously it was something naughty. What else would it have been? I began to wonder what was inside. I started thinking of Robin-Chwan and Nami-Swan wearing-  
>In any case, I assumed it was something to do with s-<br>I began to breath heavily to calm myself down. It was no use getting too excited. My time had finally come. One of the lovely ladies on this ship has obviously fallen for me, and has given me this gift for *ahem* later...

I slit open the tape that held the box together and pried open the lid. And there it was. The object of my torture. The bane of my existence. The reminder of the 2 years I spent in freaking hell. A pink, frilly bra, complete with a matching set of panties. The bra was padded, and the panties were overly tight to conceal any... Junk. It was drag queen wear.

OOOOO

A.N.: If you're noting the length, I assure you I'm not getting lazy. It will be explained in the next chapter, I promise.

A huge 'Thank You!' to Miranda for reviewing so frequently. It's always a writing-booster to hear from you, so I owe these next few chapters to your support.


	13. Zoro

The love-cook was still screaming when he burst onto the deck. He was definitely a sight to see. His eyes were streaming tears, and he was white as a ghost. Even his hair seemed to have grown several gray strands over the span of 1 minute. He looked even uglier than usual. He had dropped to his knees, still sobbing, and was sniffling uncontrollably. He sat down, tucked his knees into his arms, and began to rock back and forth, muttering something incomprehensible. He. Looked. Hilarious. I could say that he didn't deserve it, but he probably did. The guy was a disgusting pervert. I was doing Nami and Robin a favor anyways. Although, he really _did_ seem traumatized. I kinda felt bad for him. Not really bad, but just the tiniest bit of me felt gut-wrechingly terrible. I tried to just shake it off, but it kept gnawing at me. I looked over at Curly-Brows, who was still in a panic attack. He looked so helpless. I couldn't stand it anymore. I walked over to him in front of everyone and slung him over my shoulder. He didn't even protest. He just slumped on me, and that kinda scared me. Usually he would fight back, or make some snide comment if he didn't have enough energy. He looked almost... Lifeless. Maybe I had taken this a bit too far...

"Zoro!" cried Nami, confirming my inner worries, "That was too much! Even for you!"

"Hey!" I replied, "You're the one who bought the thing! If anyone is to blame, it's you!"

"Are you kidding me?" she screamed, "You're the one who had the idea in the first place! If anythi-"

"That's enough," Robin interjected, "Zoro-san, please take Cook-san to his room. We wouldn't want any heart attacks or fatalities to ruin this joyful day," she finished with a smile. I grinned back weakly, and just crossed the doorway into the men's room.

OOOOO

"Unngh.." Sanji groaned, slowly sitting up from my bed. I had placed him there since the offending *ahem* object was on his own bunk. I had quickly disposed of it by tossing it over board (maybe some mermaid would get some use out of it) but he had woken up only moments after. He looked around himself, and seemed kinda disoriented for a bit. He realized he was in my bed, and jumped out screaming.

"SHHH!" I whisper-yelled, "Chopper was worried as it was!"

The reindeer had come by to check on Sanji about an hour ago, and had diagnosed him with PTSD. Considering the amount of fighting we did on a daily basis, it was pretty extreme. According to Chopper, he would have violent panic attacks when he came in contact with any relating to the okamas. I felt pretty bad for him. It was a weird weakness, but a weakness all the same. I'd set it off, so I felt partly to blame.

He had gotten up now, and was pointing his finger at me. His digit was shaking, and he had a mad glint in his eye.

"You..." he snarled, looking ferocious, "Were you the one responsible for this?"

"Yeah..." I said looking downwards, "Sorry, man. I didn't know."

He stared at me, dumbfounded.

"Y-You can say S-Sorry?" he accused me, "Since when?"

It kinda irritated me that he thought so lowly of me, especially when I was trying to make things better.

"Whatever..." I muttered, "Merry Christams and all that crap..."

I began to walk out the door when he placed a hand on my shoulder to stop me.

"Hey Zoro," he began to say.

"Y-You know my N-Name?" I stuttered, imitating him. I could tell he was just as irritated as I was, but he composed himself and turned me to face him.

"Look man, thanks," he said, "That was cool of you."

"What was cool?" I spat, "The part where I set off your stupid memories of your stupid last 2 years?"

"No seriously," he said, squinting his one visible eye, "I know it's like, weird and not prideful or whatever to say 'sorry' and that sort of shit. It's cool that you would-"

"Look Curly-Brows," I snapped, throwing his hand off my shoulder, "I don't know if you know this yet, but we're _nakama_, ok? That means that I've got your back, and I shouldn't have to worry about mine, becaue I know you've got it. What I did was just letting the enemy stab you. In fact, I paved them a frickin' pathway. That deserves a sorry."

It was weird letting it all out. I mean, yeah we got into a lot of fights, but we were pretty much brothers. I just thought that he'd always thought the same, and to find out that he didn't even respect me enough to take my apology seriously just made me snap. I mean, it was a bit out of character for me, but he just stood there and made me feel like an idiot. Whatever...This was too much, I needed a break from feelings. I turned my back to him and was about to walk out the door when he stopped me again.

"What the hell do you want?" I muttered, unable to look at him.

"Seriously Zoro," he said, "thanks. I just didn't know you could care about me like that. You always seem pretty distant I guess. Like I'm not allowed in your little world. Not that I'd want to go to your world, I'm pretty sure it's just filled with just sake and swords, but.. Is this even making sense?" he stopped to scratch his head.

"Anyways, yeah. It's nice to feel accepted. I don't know. I always feel second-best and it kills me. I mean, you're a Supernova for Kami's sake. That's kinda crazy."

"Only because the Marines haven't recognized you yet. I mean, you don't even have a proper photo." He slumped back down and gave a little sigh. I immediately felt terrible.

"In any case, " I hurried on, "I don't think we'll ever get along. But still, we're Nakama, and that means we gotta look out for each other, know what I mean?"

"Yeah," he responded, "I got your back, you got mine?" he asked, extending his hand towards mine. I shook it, and gave him a curt nod.

"Just to be clear though," I began, "This doesn't mean we're friends."

"Definitely," he agreed. I released his hand and gave him a wave as I walked back onto the deck.

OOOOO

"Zoro!" chirped Nami, "You're just in time! Here's yours!" She handed me a green box, which was small but heavy. I held it with both hands and began walking to the crow's nest. As I walked, I felt the weight of it change from one end to the other, back and forth. I was really curious by now. I finally reached my little niche and climbed up fervently. It had taken forever to get here. I still don't understand why Franky had decided to make moving rooms. I sat down on one of the benches and tore open the paper, one strip at a time. Inside was a glass bowl cushioned with styrofoam. The bowl contained water and a...Marimo.

OOOOO

A.N.: I am sooo sorry for the late update once again. I was travelling back home, and my schedule got messed up, but I slaved over this to deliver it to you all within 1 hour of the day passing. Yes, technically there will be another chapter today. And by the way, some of you were asking if I ship anything. To answer that, I'm very strictly a canon-shipper, and will probably not do any shippings. I do canon fics though, and if you want to read a RogerxRouge AU story (Warning: Shameless plug ahead), you can check out my 'The Coffee Shop' fic. But as I said before, Oda is the Maker, and I simply borrow his characters. Also, I got a few questions on if I copied author ringtailedpehonix 's 2012 Secret Santa story. I am being completely honest here, I try not to read other people's stories for fear they might influence my writing. Plus, I don't want to confuse canon and fanfiction, so I keep them strictly separate. As a result, I honestly didn't know that story even existed. I found it really weird how we ended up with a lot of the same partner combos. I litteraly chose names out of hat, just like Nami did in the first chapter, no joke. Seriously, Sanji and Zoro were completely haphazard. I guess opposites attract. Anyways, sorry for the long AN, I just needed to clear some things up.


	14. Usopp

I heard a crash come from the crow's nest, and several curses and screams.

"SHITTY LOVE-COOK!" I heard Zoro yell, "YOU'RE SO DEAD! YOU'RE SO FRICKIN' DEAD!"

I stifled a laugh, wondering what Sanji had gotten him. I heard the ladder squeak, and Zoro appeared on deck. Of course, the kind, warm-hearted person I am, I didn't laugh. For like, 5 seconds, and then I burst out laughing. He was dripping with lake water, a piece a seaweed hanging off his face. He had a glass bowl on his head, and in the bowl was a… Marimo. Like, a literal moss ball. Oh my god. I was rolling on the grass laughing, and Nami was doubling over with me. Luffy was surprisingly the last one to laugh, but when he did it was a loud, joyous cackle.

"Shi hi hi hi hi!" he laughed, "Zoro you idiot! Why would you keep a glass bowl on your head? You could break that you know!"

We stopped for a moment to acknowledge our captain's utter stupidity. Sweat drops galore, people. In any case, Zoro just growled at us and stormed to the kitchen to clean himself off.

"And ha...And," Nami struggled, "Ha… The next gift ha... Is for Usopp."

I saved her the ceremony, seeing as she was still holding her waist, and crept up to the gift she was to present me with. The box was HUGE! It was wrapped in yellow paper, and had a large bow right on the top. I slowly bent down to pick it up from it's base. It was ridiculously heavy! I slowly walked towards the ladder, being careful to not drop it.

OOOOO

I reached my workshop and set down the humongous package. I got my scissors and snipped the wrapping paper off. I slit open the cardboard box, and inside was one of the most epic devices I had ever seen. It was a remake of the Going Merry: Chicken Model, except it was like a jetpack! It was shaped like a backpack, the boat itself being the base. Then, the wings off the Merry were literally the wings of the pack, and they extended to twice the length of my arms. The figurehead of the Merry was attached to the base, and our flag was hung from the side of each wing. The control sticks were shaped like 2 cannons It. Was. Amazing. A fitting vehicle for a hero such as myself. But who had made it? It couldn't be Franky, he didn't know what Merry looked like in her Chicken Model. But it was clearly his work. Maybe someone had described it to him for him to make. In anycase, it was perfect. A note was attached, and as soon as I saw the handwriting, I knew who it was.

oooooooooo

Deer Usopp

I mayd thuh Mary ffor yu beecuz I new that yu mist her a lot. I reeley hop yu liek it.

oooooooooo

I grimaced at my captain's atrocious writing. Really, someone should teach him the fine art of calligraphy. And spelling. But the thought was nice. I was pretty sure by this point that Franky had made it, so it had to be fueled by Cola. Sure enough, when I checked the base, I found two bottles loaded and ready. I strapped on the device, and made my way to the upper deck. Nami and Luffy were watching me, and Luffy had to cover his entire face with his hands to keep the 'secret'. Not like I didn't already know. Nami looked at me expectantly. I'd kinda thought she'd be mad at me for breaking the rules and showing off my present, but Luffy must have talked her into it.

I stepped onto the Sunny's figurehead, and looked down at the water. It was… quite a ways down… I started thinking of everything that could go wrong, and I began to panic.

"Come on, Usopp!" yelled Nami, "Get it over with already!"

"Maybe I'll just… Sit this one out…" I muttered.

"Umm… Nuh-uh," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "If you're going to bend the rules, then _bend the rules_."

I gulped, and gripped the control sticks tightly. I forced myself to open my eyes, and I took a step off the ship.

Immediately I was launched upwards, the wind buffeting the wings of the jetpack. It was smooth, and slow. It was really easy to get used to. I slowly started to descend towards the water. 'It will glide on it's own,' I thought, 'but what if I apply a little boost?'. By this point, I was getting to be pretty confident. I pressed the red buttons on the controllers and rocketed upwards! The wind flapped my cheeks and whipped through my hair.

"This is the best. Present. Ever!" I screamed as I soared through the clouds.


	15. Luffy

Nami was looking up at Usopp flying in the sky. I gotta say, he looked awesome! Obviously, my idea was the best. Not that I'm surprised. As captain, I gotta be the best, right? At least, that's what Zoro told me.

Anyways, Nami was all like 'Wow!' and 'That's so cool!' and I was all like, 'I know!' and 'Can I have my present now?'. What? I was getting impatient… Anyways, Usopp landed in a big blast of cola foam, which was probably gonna make the deck all sticky later. Eh. I'm not the one who has to clean it. Nami ran over to him screaming

"How was it, Usopp?" he was all breathless and stuff, so he replied

"It **huff** was **huff** amazing **pant huff pant**!"

I stuck out my bottom lip. 'We get it already!' I started thinking, 'Now what about my gift?'

"Luffy!" Nami called me, "This is yours!"

She handed me a tiny package, wrapped with red paper, about the size of my hand. I frowned a little on the inside. Man, all the small packages are the worst! Look at Sanji and Zoro! They both got stupid gifts. But then I thought about for a little. One of my _nakama_ got this for me. Obviously it wouldn't be bad. They cared for me. But still, what was it? It was too small to be meat? Or food in general. Argh! Too much thinking makes my head hurt! I decided to just see what it was, and was tearing open the paper when Nami stopped me.

"Oi! What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm opening my present," I replied, "Duh."

"Not here, Idiot!" she said, pointing to the kitchen. "Go"

I started thinking of all the yummy food in the kitchen. I couldn't concentrate on anything when I was near so much meat!

"And if you're thinking about snacking," Nami started, "Sanji already locked everything up."

I pouted and pleaded with her to give me the passwords, but she refused and drop-kicked me into the kitchen

OOOOO

I sat at the dining table, all by myself. It felt kinda lonely. I sighed and started opening my gift. Inside was a tiny tone dial. It was purple, and had a bunch of yellow swirls on it. It looked pretty cool! I pressed the tip of the shell, and was immediately overwhelmed with the voices of my Nakama. There was a simultaneous 'Luffy!' and then I heard a piano. It was Bink's Sake.

I heard Brook sing the first few verses, then Zoro, then Usopp, and so on, until Nami finished with a "Yo ho ho ho, Yo ho ho ho…" and the piano slowed to an end.

The recording finished, and I heard them say all together: "You will never be alone!"

I couldn't help myself. Those two years with Rayleigh, and at the end just me, were so lonely. I missed all of them so much, and I remembered wanting to hear all their voices so bad. I didn't even know if they were ok, I just had to trust. Until that one fateful day we came back together, my heart felt as if it were missing something. They were all I had left. Both Sabo and Ace were gone. But these little pieces of all of them meant I would never be alone again.

I cupped the dial in my hands, tears dripping down my face onto the tip of the dial. It _was_ really small. I would ask Nami to sew it into my hat later, but for now, I'd have to keep it in it's box. I was afraid at first I would crush it, but it was strong, just like us, and I knew it would endure.

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><p>A.N.:Do you like the line above this paragraph? I just figured out how to use it... Anyways, yeah. Pretty short. 3rd last chapter though. Finale is tomorrow, Epilogue is a day after. Please, I implore you, tell everyone you know who is on Fanfiction about this story. I'm very proud of it, considering it's my first Multi-Chap, so it would mean so much to me. There will be a recognition page at the end which will list everyone who had Reviewed, Followed, or Favourited this story, so I can thank all of you personally for keeping up with this fic. You guys are amazing, and I want to thank you all for supporting me. I'll see you in the next chapter.<p> 


	16. Nami

I sat at the tree for a while, contemplating the day's turnout. It had been really nice, and I had enjoyed myself. But really, there was just one person left. Me. What confused me though, was that there were 2 presents left under the tree. One was wrapped in the paper I had given Chopper, and another was wrapped terribly in some sort of newspaper. I looked at the former. The package Chopper had given me was small, and had 'DELICATE' stamped on the top. The other was even smaller, but it was wrapped so that it had layers and layers of paper. When I examined the paper more closely, I realized it was the paper that contained Luffy's message to us. 3D 2Y.

I might have shed a tear thinking about how nice it was to be back with everyone again. I could hardly believe I'd been on Weatheria for 2 years. Seeing everyone again made it much more real, but it was still unbelievable how much everyone had grown. In their own way, they'd improved. I know I have.

We'd only spent a little under a year together, so we'd never gotten to do Christmas together before the split. I remembered wanting to do this with the crew so badly, to create more memories of my favorite holiday. I smiled while thinking back on all the memories.

* * *

><p>"Gen-san! Gen-san!" cried a little Nami, "Look what I got!"<p>

She showed the officer a small, blue, pinwheel. She huffed into it, and it began to spin. The yearly gift exchange was always the villagers' favorite event. They usually didn't have money to spend, but it happened that their small payment from the government always came right before the holiday, so they could afford to be a little less frugal. They would pick names, and even the children were allowed to participate. They would then gather around the huge tree in the middle of the village and receive their gifts one by one.

This year, Nami had gotten Genzo as her Secret Santa. Of course, she didn't know this, but 'Gen-San' had smiled widely when he had picked her name. He understood most of all what Bellemère's family had to go through, and he was happy to help out wherever he could.

"Wow! That sure is pretty! Can I see it?" the officer had asked.

"No way!" replied the orange-haired girl, "This is my present! What did you get?"

The officer chuckled and replied "I didn't put my name in."

"What?" Nami had been shocked, "Why not?"

"I don't need much to be happy," said Genzo, "I just enjoy giving."

"You should get something though!" had replied Nami, "Here," she said, as she tucked her little pinwheel into the officer's hat. The little one was dwarfed by the officer's usual one.

"Thank you," replied Genzo, "I'll do something nice with this."

The next day, Bellemère found a small replica of Genzo's hat, complete with the little blue pinwheel, and a tangerine button on the side.

* * *

><p>I loved that memory. It was so sweet, and it reminded me of a time when all was good. It had been so long since then.<p>

I piled Chopper's package onto the newspaper-wrapped one, and carried them both to the library. The newspaper package was surprisingly light, as if it contained nothing at all.

I got to the library, and sat down at my desk. I placed Chopper's package on my desk, and placed the newspaper package on the floor. I used my scissors to cut open the package, and found inside several bottles of ink, measuring tools, and map-making paper. The ink was a quality brand that I always lusted over, but never got the chance to buy. It was beautiful. I uncapped the cork, and got my pens. I used a siphon to transfer the ink. I capped the pen, and tested it out. I was shocked to see that it was the exact type I wanted, right down to consistency. It really _was _perfect!

I gave a little giggle as I set to putting it away. The paper and tools were also _really _high quality. They were all the exact brands I'd told Robin I wanted. I wonder…

I went back to my desk, and picked up the newspaper package. I noticed a messy scrawl that I recognized as Luffy's handwriting. It read 'For Nami'. I smiled, and got my scissors. I was about to cut it open when I noticed another label. The handwriting was obviously Sanji's, as the 'i's were dotted with hearts. 'Nami-Swan,' it read, 'open each layer one at a time please!'. I laughed at that, imagining him writing it out in the pink marker he had used.

I obeyed his wish, and tore open the first layer carefully. In it was a note, wrapped with the same paper I had given Franky to use for Brook. I opened the note, and began to read.

* * *

><p>Dear Nami-San,<p>

It has been of the utmost honor to know you. Your headstrong nature is often the only thing holding this crew together. Though officially, Luffy is our captain, you are the most level-headed one on this ship, making decisions that would otherwise be handled rather *ahem* terribly by anyone else. Though I shall always strive to see your (as I imagine) lovely undergarments, I would have you understand that I respect you greatly. I'd like to thank you for putting this event together, as it gives me a chance to get to know the rest of the crew better.

At your service,

Brook

* * *

><p>I smiled after reading that. The skeleton, perverted as he was, was a gentleman at heart, though he had none. I giggled at that, imagining the musician popping up with a 'SKULL JOKE!'. I set aside the note, and tore open the next layer. The next note was wrapped in the metallic paper I'd wrapped Franky's gift in.<p>

* * *

><p>Hey Nami-Sis! I wanted to say that you do a SUPER job at navigating this ship. Thanks a bunch for making sure that the SUPER Sunny is always going the right way! My own dream kinda depends on us knowing where we're going, so it's good to know that it's safe in your SUPER hands. Oh yeah! Thanks for organizing this SUPER gift exchange! It was really fun and SUPER!<p>

-Your SUPER Bro, Franky

* * *

><p>I had a good laugh at that one. I could practically hear the shipwright screaming 'SUPER' in my mind. I also had never thought of his dream depending on my ability to navigate. It was interesting to see how my Nakama saw me. I ripped the next layer to find a kitten wrapped note. I laughed. Robin had trusted me with that little gem of trivia, and I was determined to take full advantage of it. I opened the note to reveal flowing, purple script.<p>

* * *

><p>Navigator-San,<p>

It pleasures me greatly that you have not yet been eaten by sharks. Otherwise this journey would most likely end with most of us dead or in ruins. Your navigating and self-preserving skills ensure this will never happen, so that reassures me as well. It makes me happy that you like to think of me as your elder sister. By the way, you really shouldn't leave your journal out in the open. No worries though, I have no reason to blackmail you. In any case, it's a pleasure to have your company.

-Robin

* * *

><p>I was blushing and shivering at the same time, which was a rather odd combination. Robin could be a bit creepy at times, but she always had a good intent. Though, I hated the thought of her going through my journal. I really <em>would <em>have to keep that under better lock. I opened the next layer to see a little brown bag tied up with a ribbon. It was a replica of the one I'd given Robin to wrap Chopper's present. The note inside was written on pink stationary

* * *

><p>Hi Nami!<p>

I wanted to say that, I'm really, really happy that we did this gift exchange, and I hope you liked your present! Whoops! Was I not supposed to write that? Anyways, thank you!

Peace and Cotton Candy-lover,

Chopper

* * *

><p>I gave a small 'Awww!' as I read the note. It was short and sweet, just like our little doctor. I opened the next layer of the package, and saw a pink letter, the same shade that I wrapped Zoro's present to Sanji with.<p>

* * *

><p>Dearest Nami-Swan,<p>

Your beauty is like a shining flower, your face a glowing dewdrop, your eyes the morning sun, your lips like sweet red rosebuds, your…

* * *

><p>I sheepishly closed the letter, thinking it best to save for later. It was over 3 pages long, and contained only compliments. Perhaps when I'm in a foul mood I could go over them and feel better. I set the letter aside and ripped the next layer. The note on this layer was green.<p>

* * *

><p>Nami,<p>

Thanks for being our navigator. Thanks for letting me getting revenge at that stupid Curly-Brow.

-Zoro

* * *

><p>I had to laugh at that. The swordsman was never one to be eloquent or lengthy. He was a simple man, and I got that. No frills necessary, and the note was exactly representative of him. The next layer contained a yellow note, and a tab. I pulled the tab, and a burst of confetti popped onto my desk. My eyebrow twitched, thinking of how much I would have to clean up later, but it was cute I guess.<p>

* * *

><p>Nami!<p>

Have I ever told you that as captain, I've had many people beg me to be our navigator, but out of all of them, I chose you. You're amazing at your job, and fitting to be part of my crew. Umm… You're also the only one on the crew who I could relate to being powerless, and it's cool that we're both striving to be better. We're walking the same path of self-improvement, and I hope we reach the half-way point together.

Your Captain/Sniper/Hero,

The Mighty Ussop'n

* * *

><p>I grinned. Usopp <em>got<em> me. It was hard to be on a ship with so many strong fighters, especially since we have not one, but _two_ Supernovas on board. We're both trying to pull out weight, and sometimes we don't succeed. But we still support our crew in anyway we can, and that's something only the 'weak' trio can understand. I piled the note on top of the other ones, and ripped the last layer open. The red note was in Robin's handwriting, but had the childish demeanour of Luffy, so I guessed she transcribed for him.

* * *

><p>Nami you're awesome and I wanted to say thank you for being awesome at your job, otherwise we'd all be lost, and we'd all be dead and eaten by Sea Kings, which would be no good, because then I wouldn't be Pirate King, and I would be sad, but I wouldn't be sad, I would be dead, so Thank You for being good at your job!<p>

-Luffy

* * *

><p>The note made no sense, and was just one, huge, paragraph, but it meant a lot to know that Luffy appreciated me. Yes, the note was childish, but Luffy <em>is<em> childish, and that's his way of saying 'Thanks'.

I discarded the paper, and brought the notes into one pile. I flipped through them slowly, one by one, and walked out of the library. I got to the Women's Quarters, and I noticed the lights were on. I opened the door, and saw Robin fast asleep, holding a golden dial and a comedy book. She hadn't had her coffee, so she must have been exhausted. I smiled and turned off the light. I walked to my bed, and tucked the notes under my pillow. As a lay down, I thought about today, and how it had turned out. Sure, everyone got a great gift, but that's not what Christmas was about, and I think they all realized that. Heartfelt gifts, or simply just expressing your love, that was always the goal with this. We'd achieved that goal today, and I couldn't have been more proud.

* * *

><p>A.N.: Maybe I went a bit overboard on the lines? As I draw this Fic. to a close, I must remind you that the Epilogue and Recognition page are yet to come, so don't turn away yet. But if you've decided to end your reading journey with this story here, I want to thank you for your time. Energy. Patience. And most of all, Support. This fic. would have never continued without your encouragement, so you have yourself to thank for that. You guys are amazing, and I'm so blessed to have you. Merry Christmas everyone.<p> 


	17. Omake

"USOPP!" Nami screamed, her heels getting stuck in the brown goo that had remained from the cola foam. She yanked off her shoes, and shook her fist at the sniper, who was flying high amongst the clouds.  
>"Yes?" Usopp inquired, bobbing in the air.<br>"What the hell is this?!" Nami yelled, pointing at the goo on the deck. "I told you to clean this up!"  
>Usopp grinned sheepishly.<br>"Later?" He inquired, "I'm just about to get a peek of our next island!"  
>Nami sighed, knowing that eventually, herself or Sanji will have to clean it up. As of late, Usopp had been scouting and sniping better then ever au grâce to the jetpack. It had been a real help, but the thing was so messy, and took up so much cola. They couldn't use it too often.<p>

It had been 2 weeks since Christmas, and everyone was still delighting in their gifts. Nami especially loved her new inks, tools and paper. The materials were really smooth and efficient. They definitely made her job much easier.

Luffy had asked her to sew the little tone dial into his hat, but it turned out to be rather bulky and uncomfortable. As a alternate option, she made it into a armband, similar to the glass and leather one he used to have.

Zoro had grown rather fond of his little moss ball, and had even given it a name. 'Marimo 2' resided in a large glass bowl in the crow's nest. Robin, who kept tabs on everyone, would gossip with Nami about the swordsman's activities with his new pet. According to the archaeologist, Zoro would often talk to the miss ball, even looking to it for bursts of motivation when he was training. Nami had found it adorable, and had confronted the swordsman about it. He'd blushed and put a hand to one of his sheaths, warning her to never speak of it to anyone.

Zoro had bought the cook a subscription to weekly gourmet cigarettes to make up for what would now be known as 'The Lingerie Incident'. Actually, he'd ordered the monthly subscription, but the cook had gone through them so quickly, he'd quickly switched to weekly. According to Sanji, the cigarettes were 'divine and savoury beyond compare'. In any case, Zoro had more than enough payed off his dues, losing his allowance for 3 months on a loan for the subscription.

Chopper was (guiltily) praying for someone to get injured, just to use his new leaves. He'd also forced the crew to chew a leaf right before breakfast, as a supplement. It was too early to tell if they were working, but it was annoying Sanji greatly. The leaves vanquished their appetites, leaving them feeling full. It resulted in Luffy eating 9's worth every morning, and everyone else being malnourished. Currently, Sanji was debating with Chopper on the Pros and Cons of the leaf. They'd agreed on one more week of 'experimenting', and then Chopper would allow the crew back onto their normal meal plans.

Robin was ransacking the library for permanent books to store in her new dial. Though the archaeologist was generally an organized person, she grew frantic easily trying to find the perfect book. She would leave stacks of reading materials all over the library, and Nami was near her limit. It was great that someone shared her passion for books, but Robin was now using her own desk to store potential candidates for the great honor of being stored in the golden dial. She made a mental note to talk to the archaeologist about this later.

Franky was proudly showing off his new underpants. Which would have been 'ok', but he had worn them for nearly 5 days in a row now, and the once kind thought had quickly turned unhygienic, and in Nami's opinion, vomit-worthy. Franky was sweet and all, but this was... More than a little gross.

You could never walk into the Sunny without hearing Brook jamming away on his new guitar. Or was it a violin? Cello? In any case. The sound of his new instrument was simply mesmerizing. It was a joy to hear, and no one disagreed. He was trying to compose a piece unique to that instrument, and was even developing a new type of sheet music. Sooner or later, he'd be responsible for a musical revolution.

The exchange had gone really well, except for one thing. None of the Secret Santas were actually secret. The crew was too close to each other. It was too easy to guess. Nami supposed that was a good thing, as it meant they had bonded really well with each other. But Nami could hardly wait for next year. She planned on making this a tradition, and making even more and better memories than she'd ever made before.

-  
>A.N.: Wow. This has been a long, long journey with all of you. I'm gonna keep this one short, seeing as the entire next chapter will be all recognition. You. Guys. Are. Epic. No joke. Thank you so much for everything. You made this possible. You are the only reason I kept on writing. You encourage me to be the best I can be, and I can't thank you enough. Until tomorrow.<p>

P.S. To qualify for the recognition page, you must follow, favorite, or review by 12pm EST on Sat. Dec. 27th


	18. Recognition Page

Ok, so before I start with the recognition, I just wanted to say Thank You. Yes, I know I've been saying it every chapter, but honestly, I just can't say it enough. I started on this website after nearly 5 years of reading fanfiction. I loved the idea of it, but never really thought I'd be good enough to write my own. When I finally mustered up the courage to put myself out there, you guys responded so positively. It made doing this so much more worth it, and I can't tell you how proud I am to be part of this amazing community. Now, without furthere ado, Recognitions!

* * *

><p><span><strong>Story AlertSubscription:**

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**Favorites:**

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**Reviews:**

guest- November 2nd

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* * *

><p>Do you see how many names are on those lists? Granted, many of them are repeats, but that makes it even better. To finish off, I wanted to say thank you to the 3865 views I've gotten on this story. That is just incredible. As I finish off this post, I think of myself finally pushing the 'Complete' button on my story page. I have a mixture of emotions about it. Ending off my first sucessful Multi-Chap will be hard. It means I need to dive into something again, write a plot, develop a story, and that's a bit scary. But I know that now that I have people who support me. The people in these lists support me, and that's a great comfort to me. So pushing that button is probably going to be the highlight of my birthday. Yup. December 27th is my birthday, and you guys have made it all the more special. Thank you sincerely, from the bottom of my heart. I've said it many times, but I'll say it again, You Guys Are Amazing.<p> 


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